


28 days, lunar jade

by jangmi, pieces



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Animagus Jung Hoseok, Animagus Kim Taehyung, Animagus Park Jimin, Canon Typical Violence (Harry Potter), Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Kim Taehyung is the Living Incarnate of James Potter, Light Angst, M/M, Marauders Inspired, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Platonic Soulmates Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin, Scenting, Slow Burn, Werewolf Jeon Jungkook, side taejoon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jangmi/pseuds/jangmi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/pieces/pseuds/pieces
Summary: Every 28 days, Jeon Jeongguk relies on the help from his friends to survive the full moon. With his time at Hogwarts coming to a close, he realizes that he's not ready to part ways with his best friend – who happens to be his true love.
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin
Comments: 40
Kudos: 102





	28 days, lunar jade

**Author's Note:**

> ok hiii everyone!! before we get the ball rolling we wanted to mention a few things. TO START: this fic is our babyyy, we've been working on it since october since we both figured out we loved wolfstar when we read hp growing up, so ofc we wound up with a whole au lol. 
> 
> some semantics: for the sake of the story, jk, tae, jimin, hobi, and namjoon are all the same age. they're 18 going on 19 aka 7th years at hogwarts. this fic is also pretty heavily inspired by the marauders but we want to be clear: none of the boys are supposed to be peter pettigrew. we mostly took inspo from remus, sirius, and james but tbh we don't think reading harry potter is necessary to enjoy the story!! 
> 
> as for the werewolf aspect, jk IS a werewolf but we wanted to elaborate on and change some of the elements of lycanthropy that exist in the harry potter universe. some elements similar to a/b/o or hybrids might arise with scenting and stuff so we wanted to make that clear!! and also the werewolf in the prison of azkaban is UGLY and we wanted to say jk is (while vicious) a cute, fluffy wolf. 
> 
> when it comes to houses, we left them out of the tags because they end up playing a big part in character development. we promise, jimin has some slytherin blood and that becomes very clear soon~ 
> 
> and to close, fuck jkr rowling and her transphobic ass. thanks for reading things really long author's note. we are so excited to share this with you all and we've worked really hard on this universe. MUCH LOVE – mimi and bibi ♡

“ _Aish,_ ” Jimin snorts. “Isn’t that going too far?” He’s laughing hard, and the sound mixes with the bells that chime overhead the door when someone new walks in. As he starts to laugh harder, he seems to lose his balance even though he’s sitting down. Leaning over, his face presses into Jeongguk’s shoulder, then the side of Jeongguk’s neck. It feels like Jimin is always getting closer when he’s happy.

“No,” comes the response, but Jeongguk doesn’t catch the rest of it. 

It’s warm. Distantly, a fire crackles somewhere in the room, and if he bothered to turn his head over his shoulder, he’d see it roaring in the hearth. Closer is Jimin’s thigh pressed tightly next to his own under the table. Even through their thick winter trousers, Jeongguk can feel the warmth of Jimin’s body, like he's coming home. In a lot of ways, when they’re close like this, Jimin is exactly that. 

But Jimin isn’t thinking about that when he touches Jeongguk. No, it’s all second nature by now, and when his hand squeezes Jeongguk’s thigh after someone lands a funny joke, there’s nothing left to question. It’s been routine for far longer than it ever felt new, including the way Jeongguk blushes thereafter. Right now, Jimin has moved from his spot against Jeongguk’s neck and is pitched forward over the table, wheezing at a joke that Taehyung made but Jeongguk missed. His silver hair has fallen from its quaffed grace and is spilling over his forehead just like the silver snow that’s falling outside. His robe has long been shed, and it’s bunched up around his waist in the booth where they sit. His sweater is slipping loose around his neckline like it usually does, showing off all that skin. Jeongguk always wants to wrap him up in a scarf when they walk outside, no matter how pretty a picture his skin makes for staring. A jade pendant hangs loose and beautiful over his collarbones, and Jeongguk’s eyes fixate on it for a second. It’s a familiar sight. Jeongguk isn’t sure if he’s ever seen Jimin without his necklace, but it’s no less striking against his gorgeous skin even the thousandth time around.

Warm butterbeer sloshes in their bellies. The feeling pools inside of them. Jeongguk is not in a reverie, but sometimes it feels like he’s dreaming when he’s sitting amongst his friends like this. Jimin, tucked into Jeongguk’s side like his muscles were carved just for him to be there. Taehyung, across from him with his arm slung loosely but protectively over Namjoon’s shoulder. Hoseok at the head of the table, transfiguring things under his breath until every napkin on their table has turned into an animal and suddenly alongside their mugs and pints is a miniature zoo. 

It’s only when Jimin smiles at him that Jeongguk is pulled from his own head. He smiles back without question, reminded for what feels like the millionth time that this warm glow is not a dream at all, and that he ought to pay more attention to Taehyung’s jokes — because there’s no reason for him not to be laughing with his friends.

It’s far from unusual for Jeongguk to get like this when they’re in Hogsmeade, especially when they finally make it into the Three Broomsticks for a drink. Afternoons in this village always leave Jeongguk a mixture of content and on edge – closest to both what makes him happiest, and to what he fears the most. His friends do his best to distract him, but now that they’re sitting down and the rush of their afternoon out has begun to slow, that feeling of anxiety starts to catch up to him. The waxing moon on the rise doesn’t help, either. 

One of Hoseok’s tiny giraffes peers into a now-empty pint of butterbeer. Jimin coos at it, gently petting its small head with the pink pad of his index finger. Namjoon snorts from across the table, staring down at a little elephant stomping its feet. 

“Hoseok-ah, I think you should turn the elephant and all of his friends back into napkins now. What will the busboy think when there are a bunch of animals herding in between our mugs?” 

Hoseok takes one of the pandas into his hand and inspects it closely. It paws into his palm cutely. It truly is some fine transfiguration. “I personally think they’ll appreciate my finesse and outstanding transfiguration skills, but whatever you say,” he sighs. He pulls out his wand from the deep pocket of his cloak and flicks his wrist. Within the seconds, the little animals have withered away, turned back into the bunched up napkins from which they originated. It’s a little sad to watch the life leave them, but Hoseok looks pleased with himself and his advanced magic. Jeongguk offers him a smile in his silent form of praise. When Jeongguk turns his head, he sees Namjoon is smiling, too. 

At the table, everyone starts to stir, packing up their goodies from Zonko’s and Honeydukes that they had gotten earlier. They redawn their cloaks and bundle up in scarves and hats, but it’s only when there’s a soft touch to his wrist that Jeongguk realizes that he hasn’t joined his friends in getting ready to leave. 

Jimin is looking at him with wide, silvery eyes, crinkled by the side with his soft smile but still pooling with concern. “Come on, Gguk,” he says gently. “We’re headed out. Is everything okay? You seem a little out of it.” 

Jeongguk shakes his head to snap out of it, meeting Jimin’s eyes and brushing his thumb over Jimin’s knuckles where his touch lingers. “I’m okay, Jimin-ah,” he replies. 

Jimin doesn’t look entirely convinced, but everything about his gaze reads _we’ll talk later,_ and when Jeongguk throws on his heavy black cloak and knots his scarlet scarf around his neck, Jimin doesn’t question him again. He fiddles with the chocolate bars shoved into his pockets, and he smiles to himself when he’s reminded that Jimin is the one who bought them for him. Jimin is always doing what he can. He’s always giving. This smile is far more genuine, and perhaps that’s why Jimin doesn’t pester him one more time. Jeongguk slips out from the booth wordlessly, and then he’s following Hoseok out the door, who is still laughing at Merlin knows what. 

Taehyung falters a bit behind them, finally getting the chance to be alone with Namjoon. Jungkook only manages to catch glimpses of the featherlight kisses goodbye that Namjoon presses to the corner of Taehyung's lips — being the Head Boy means that Namjoon is responsible for taking care of the first trip the third years make to Hogsmeade, so he can’t keep them company for the rest of their visit. It’s probably better that he doesn’t pay too much attention to the way they get back to the castle, either.

Jeongguk doesn’t pay attention to where his friends are going, but he follows the trace of their footsteps in the silver snow. It’s easy for him to get lost into his own thoughts when they’re in Hogsmeade. It’s been so long since the last time he went to see his parents that the sight of the castle looks a little more like home. It feels like a breath of fresh air walking through the narrow streets, with screams and laughter echoing from inside the shops. 

Looming over them is the postcard of his nightmares. It doesn’t matter where they go or for how long they walk, it’s always there standing a little above the rest of the tiny village — and although Hogsmeade is a sign of happiness and a distraction from their duties at Hogwarts, the Shrieking Shack stands out as an anomaly. The dark old house is falling to pieces. The way it contrasts with the bright colors of the village blanketed in white snow makes it look like it was taken from a Muggle movie and placed there by the hands of some crafty wizard. 

Getting close to the house before the full moon arrives leaves a bittersweet taste on Jeongguk’s tongue. A feeling of guilt stirs in him as he thinks of all the times that he’s made his friends stay here, taking care of him and helping him deal with his curse, but he doesn’t utter a word as they approach. Jimin, who is always so attentive, rushes to his side, leaving Taehyung and Hoseok throwing snowballs at each other in front. If Namjoon hadn’t parted ways with them before, he probably would’ve been roped in too.

“I don’t want to get my robes dirty,” Jimin explains casually, noticing Jeongguk’s cocked head. It’s strange not to see Jimin playing around with them. 

Jeongguk, who knows that Jimin is lying to him, only nods in response.

Jeongguk has known about this tendency of Jimin’s for a long time. He doesn’t have to say it out loud, but Jimin is able to pinpoint whenever Jeongguk feels sad or uncomfortable. It’s something that’s blossomed throughout the six years they’ve known each other. It makes Jeongguk’s heart skip a few beats when he thinks too much about it, but when that warm feeling of gratitude and that little _something more_ blend together, he locks it all away. He reminds himself that this is just the way Jimin is, and it’s not something exclusive to him. Jimin has always been the most caring and empathetic out of all of them. Jeongguk remembers when their hyung Seokjin used to talk to them about his dreams of becoming a nurse, and Jimin’s eyes would gleam in awe. 

On days when the pressure of being himself is too much, Jeongguk will go after Jimin’s soothing touches to heal the wounds of his cursed soul.

He keeps his eyes stuck to his feet; the urge to disappear drowns him. Watching as the snow dissolves around his worn-out leather boots, it’s only when he hears a voice that doesn’t belong to his friends that he moves his gaze away. 

“Do you know the story of the Shrieking Shack?” 

“Yunho! Don’t get too close to it. Professor Park warned us about this. We could get our permission slips taken if they catch us here!”

“We haven’t walked past the fences, that’s not forbidden. We can look at it!” exclaims the boy with a green and silver scarf tightly wrapped around his neck. A Slytherin. “And besides that, who’s going to tell Professor Park about it, huh? Are you a snitch, Donghwa?” 

The other boy, Donghwa, who stands a few steps behind Yunho, shakes his hands to say no. “I would never do that, but it’s dangerous. I heard stories from my mother.” Even from this distance, Jeongguk notices the shudders that run over the little boy’s body. “I don’t want to have nightmares tonight. Let’s go back to Honeydukes. Please, Yunho.” 

“Tell me the story, and I’ll consider if I want to go back or not.” 

“I don’t _have_ to tell you the story, I can just walk back by myself.”

“But then I won’t give you those Fizzing Whizbees I promised you.”

Donghwa sighs. “My mom told me when she signed my permission slip. This house has been here for a long time, but no one knows who it originally belonged to. There are no records on it. All we know is that it belongs to the school. It’s weird, because I asked my grandmother about it too, and even she has no idea who built it. And she’s already 110 years old! It seems like it’s always been here, like it’s part of the mountains and the trees. My mom said that the first time the screams were heard was during her last year in Hogwarts. It was so loud that Madame Miok thought it was coming from inside the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks. It’s said that some people go deaf from the sound. I never wanna hear it in my life. A family friend told me that it almost sounds like someone is being ripped apart limb by limb inside.” The boy pulls his cloak closer around his body, like he’s trying to shield himself from something. “I have nightmares thinking about it.” 

“This seems like a load of bullshit,” Donghwa scoffs, moving forward and bending down to slip past the fence. “I don’t believe it.” 

“Well, you should.” Taehyung’s baritone voice reverberates, frightening even Jeongguk. “Your friend is clearly smarter than you, but that’s okay, younglings.”

“Taehyung!” Hoseok warns him, pulling him back by his cloak. Taehyung shoots Hoseok a snide look. He’s so intimidating like this, with his sharp eyes glinting behind his dark framed glasses and his wavy hair perfectly falling over his face. Standing at his full height, the little boys seem to cower just a bit, feeling small at the foot of Kim Taehyung, Gryffindor’s famous 7th year Quidditch star.

Pulling his cloak from Hoseok’s hand, Taehyung marches in the direction of the boys, who are staring at him with eyes as big as saucers. “What I’m trying to say is, _you–_ ” He points at Donghwa, “–should learn from him. My father used to work night shifts near Hogsmeade, and the thing about someone being dismembered? That’s definitely true. My dad even knows the guy who died there. And it’s not _only_ that. Hundreds of ghosts that were killed in Hogsmeade live there, since they get lost and can’t find their way back home. Why do you think there are no ghosts in Hogsmeade? It’s because all of them haunt that house.” 

A mischievous smile paints Hoseok’s face as he notices Taehyung's true intentions. “The screams they make are the sounds of their souls trying to get back to the place where they died. They never manage it because of all the magic that’s around the castle. Unfortunately, just like we can’t leave the castle, they can’t leave the house. They tend to get louder at night because that’s when the barrier between our world and theirs gets closer, so they try to trespass it.” His menacing smile grows wider, scarier. With just a little bit of dramatic flair, he lets a heavy pause ring out. “But as we know, they fail.”

Jeongguk is entertained by the quantity of lies his friends are able to conjure in a matter of seconds, but however entertained he is, and no matter the way the corner of his lips quirk up at some of their words, he still can’t shake away the unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knows that Taehyung and Hoseok are both just trying to have some fun while covering Jeongguk’s tracks, but watching it unfold still doesn’t make Jeongguk feel particularly good. 

As far as he knows, Jeongguk is Hogwarts’ second werewolf in a century. When he seeks refuge in the Shrieking Shack every full moon, his agony only helps to fuel the rumors that have plagued it for years. He’s lucky enough that the Headmaster covers his tracks, but he knows not everyone buys in to ghost stories and wives’ tales. These screams that Taehyung, Hoseok, and the boys are referring to – the infamous frightening shrieks – are _his_ screams. Jeongguk’s shifts tend to be so painful that they affect him even on nights after the full moon has passed. Sometimes, when things get to be too much, he makes his way to the Astronomy tower while everyone is sleeping. With his feet dangling over the edge of the parapet, he stares at the moon, wondering if dying would be less painful than what awaits him. 

The bickering between Taehyung and the boys continues, and somewhere in between Taehyung threatening to curse them and Hoseok having to sneakily take Taehyung’s wand out of his pocket and hide it inside his pants, Jeongguk zones out. 

As he stares at the Shrieking Shack, all that he can think about are the painful memories he made inside there. 

“Gguk-ah.” Tiny hands wrap themselves around his cold wrist. “Should we go to Scrivenshaft’s? I need to get more parchment.” 

“But I remember you brought a lot from home?” Jeongguk questions him. He’s clearly reminded of Jimin asking if he could use the nightstand that’s placed in between his and Hoseok’s beds to hide his parchment papers from Taehyung – who has a bad habit of stealing them when he runs out.

“I already used all of that,” he says without thinking. 

“How?” 

“Well… I— I take a lot of notes.” With his cheeks getting even redder than they already are – and not due to the cold wind that blows on their faces – Jimin pulls his scarf over his nose. He grabs the sleeve of Jeongguk’s cloak and asks again. “Can we go, please?”

Although he finds the request weird, he agrees to it. “Yeah, sure.” 

In contrast to Jimin’s strange decision to leave their friends, the rest of his behavior is normal. He keeps his fingers wrapped firmly around Jeongguk’s wrist over the warm material of his cloak, and he drags Jeongguk in the direction of Scrivenshaft’s quill shop. Even when Jimin isn’t insisting on getting extra parchment, he spends a lot of time there. He has quite the quill collection. Through the layers of their winter clothes, Jimin feels as warm as ever. He stays close by as they walk down the cobblestone path, and it seems that his eyes are never once focused on where they’re going. Instead, he keeps looking at Jeongguk. His gaze is clear and concerned, and he checks in on Jeongguk without using any words at all. Jeongguk prefers it this way. He’d much rather talk silently than have to answer aloud. 

Jimin knows that if anything were a big enough bother, Jeongguk would tell him. But Jeongguk isn’t stupid, either. Once they’re peering over at bottles of ink, Jeongguk realizes exactly why Jimin asked him to come here. Jimin knows he’d rather be anywhere but the Shrieking Shack. 

They spend a few minutes looking at parchment, and Jimin rubs a few different styles between his fingers until he decides on the one he likes best. It’s the kind he always gets, and Jeongguk finds it both endearing and amusing that Jimin is going through all of this just as a distraction – especially because he _knows_ that Jimin doesn’t need any parchment at all. Jimin buys Jeongguk a pretty quill as well, just because he can. He doesn’t do it thinking it’ll make Jeongguk feel any better. It’s no consolation prize. It’s nothing but a sweet gesture, and perhaps it’s an excuse for Jimin to see Jeongguk smile for a bit, too. 

By the time Taehyung and Hoseok catch up to them again, Jeongguk and Jimin have already wandered back to Honeydukes, the place where they started their afternoon. The sound of laughter announces Taehyung and Hoseok’s arrival, and Jeongguk knows they must still be cracking up over whatever they ended up saying to those Slytherin kids over by the Shrieking Shack. 

Knowing that it’s nearing time to go, Hoseok sends Jimin an inquisitive look. Jimin runs his fingers over a worn-out piece of parchment before tucking it safely in his robes. “We’re clear,” says Jimin, an answer to Hoseok’s silent question. “I just checked the map. I’ll check again when we’re getting close to the statue.” 

Always impressed with their own work, Jeongguk, Hoseok, and Taehyung all share a sly smile knowing that they can get back into the castle on their own time, free from other students and any disruptions that might come with them. Carefully and wordlessly, they make their way down to the cellar of Honeydukes. The staff pay them no mind, so used to their group’s antics, and by the time they’ve pushed aside a few boxes of candy, they’re already headed into one of the underground tunnels that will take them safely back to Hogwarts. 

Once the passageway is sealed behind them, the hush that had fallen over them is disrupted in an instant. Taehyung breaks into a light jog, running up to Jimin, who was leading. With a bold smile on his face and a strong arm looping over Jimin’s shoulder, he booms, “Jimin-ah! You missed it!” and the two of them launch into their normal buzzing chatter. 

Jeongguk smiles fondly from the back as he watches them. Taehyung leans into Jimin’s side to ruffle his hair, and Jimin stares back just as brightly, looking up at his closest friend with starry eyes full of intent, ready to listen to whatever story Taehyung is on the brink of sharing. Watching them makes it easier for Jeongguk to keep a clear mind. They’re always such a pleasant distraction. The world feels just a little lighter on Jeongguk’s aching shoulders when he gets to be with his friends. 

He only gets to stare off into space for a few moments before there’s an arm slung over his shoulders, too. Hoseok smiles at him. 

“Get anything nice at Honeydukes?” 

Jeongguk wriggles his fingers around in his deep pockets. “The usual,” he replies. He starts to pull things out so Hoseok can take a look. “Some peppermint toads, some sugar quills… Jiminie got me chocolates as well.” 

A look passes over Hoseok’s face. His cheeks bunch up with a smile. “He’s always looking out for you, hmm?” he says slowly. 

Jeongguk furrows his brow. “Well, he’s always looking out for all of us.” 

Hoseok looks like he wants to stop in his tracks, but he knows better than to do anything but move with haste while they’re in one of the tunnels. His voice goes deadpan as he turns out his own pockets. “He didn’t get _me_ any sweets.” 

Hoseok’s point comes as expected, but it still makes Jeongguk blush to think that Jimin treats him differently sometimes. He drags the toe of his boot in some of the dirt that lines the underground path, raising a little cloud of dust that lingers behind them. 

“I’m sure if you asked him…” he mumbles. 

Hoseok laughs. “I’ll just steal some of yours.” He waggles a finger. “Don’t think I don’t know where all of you hide your candy.” He draws out a brief pause, but he’s quick to carry on with what he actually wants to talk about. Hoseok is not the type to beat around the bush when there’s something he has to say. “How’re you holding up, Gguk? Doing okay?” 

Jeongguk shrugs. The silhouettes of Taehyung and Jimin look smaller up ahead. They’re so fast moving with one another, like the energy they get from each other rebounds to speed them up. 

“Sure, I’m fine,” he replies breezily. “There’s just a lot on my mind. NEWTs coming. The holidays. All of that.” 

Hoseok, pointedly ignoring the fact that Jeongguk mentioned exams in any form, exclaims, “Why are you worried about _Christmas_ of all things?” 

“Well, I thought this year you guys might want to go home to study or something, or– I don’t know.” 

It’s a lame excuse, and both Hoseok and Jeongguk know it. “Jeon Jeongguk,” Hoseok gasps. He’s laughing now, and he’s laughing _hard,_ deep in his belly as if this is actually a hysterical joke and not Jeongguk’s pathetic cover up. “When have we ever gone home for Christmas since knowing you? Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, the full moon falls over break. No way we would leave you alone for that. What are you really worried about, Gguk? And no, you can’t say NEWTs.” 

Jeongguk kicks the dirt again. He wishes this tunnel was shorter. “It’s complicated.” 

Hoseok sighs. “You’re doing that cryptic thing again,” he teases, “and I don’t like it.” 

“I’m still figuring it out myself, to be honest,” Jeongguk replies. It comes out as a chuckle, but that’s only to mask his own insecurity. 

Jeongguk notices that Hoseok wants something more from him and is trying to approach a sensitive topic that Jeongguk tends to flee from. The next words that come from Hoseok’s mouth are, to say the least, expected. “If you share this with us, it’ll be easier for you to figure out,” he suggests with a light tone, but his expression is stern. “I know you might not want to _now_ , but I hope you know that regardless of the hour or the day, me and the boys will be ready to listen.” 

Jeongguk lets out a long exasperated sigh. “Thanks, Hobi. It’s just… complicated.”

“I know. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve met in my life, Gguk,” Hoseok says, not missing the opportunity to pat Jeongguk’s head – moments where Jeongguk lets his guard down around him are rare.

Jeongguk groans, trying to escape from Hoseok’s prying hands that insist on messing his hair. 

“But don’t tell Taehyung I said that or he’ll curse me before going to sleep,” Hoseok warns Jeongguk. 

“You know when you say that I only want to tell him even more, right?” Jeongguk arches one of his brows in defiance, enjoying the way he’s able to mindlessly communicate with Hoseok – even after their conversation from before had felt uncomfortable. 

It’s not Hoseok’s fault that Jeongguk tends to lock his feelings away, keep them from his friends – sometimes, he even keeps them from himself. Jeongguk truly cherishes the way his friends and hyungs are always encouraging when slowly approaching sensitive subjects like this. It’s not easy for them, and it’s not easy for Jeongguk, but they somehow, even with questions that go by unanswered, make it work. 

“Aish! You brat!” 

Hoseok doesn’t get the chance to place his hands on Jeongguk again, as Jeongguk dashes after the other boys who are already so far up ahead that they can barely hear the echoes of their footsteps inside the dark and muddy passage. 

“Jeongguk-ah!” Hoseok lets out in a piercing scream. He runs after Jeongguk and tries to grab the dark cloak that floats behind him due to his speed. It doesn’t take long until the four of them have reached the end of the tunnel, and as Jeongguk catches his breath, he can’t help but feel a bit of comfort at the way the statue of the one-eyed witch welcomes them back. The castle is madness, but it’s home. The Gryffindor Tower waits for them with soft beds and warm fires.

* * *

A cold harsh wind against Jeongguk’s naked back tells him that he’s dreaming. As he feels himself sinking into mud and twigs, he registers the way the forest leaves cuts on his legs, blood dripping from his pierced skin. His lungs are being squeezed inside his ribcage from an unknown pressure, and while it seems like the forest itself is telling him to go, he's stuck in place. He can feel, see, and hear, but all of his senses are disconnected from him – stolen from him. He is compressed inside his own body, a captive soul, forbidden to ever move or leave. He's only there to watch against his will. 

Once again it’s time for him to stare himself in the face. 

Awake, Jeongguk doesn’t usually think of himself as someone ugly. After all, his flesh doesn’t reflect the madness from within. Those are frivolous things, beauty and shame, things Jeongguk has long dismissed when it comes to himself. Greater demons rule his mind. But being stripped down to his core in a place he knows he has no control over makes him want to cower in fear. The fear of this dream is different from the one he feels when he messes up a potion in front of Yoongi’s watching eyes, different from the shivers that run down his spine when he looks at Jimin’s smile. It’s an overpowering fear that he knows doesn’t come from within him. This fear is transmitted by _it_. Jeongguk knows that reflecting in the lake with crystalline water, it waits for him. It’s always there, always has been. The mirror of the silver full moon in the deepest blue of the still water warns him. _It’s time_.

As Jeongguk’s dream grows lucid, he immediately registers where he is, what he’s doing, why he’s here. Again, it’s time for him to stand naked in the forest and meet his maker. Most people might feel blessed to look themselves in the eye and see who they truly are. When Jeongguk looks at the beast in front of him, all he feels is disgust – to think that his soul might look as violent and possessed as the thing in front of it. His eye contact never lasts very long. He tells himself that maybe if he doesn't look at his wolf, it will cease to exist. If only he could just wish it away. As if he would be so lucky to get rid of his own plague. But when standing in the presence of something so ugly, eventually, Jeongguk can’t help but stare. 

This is not the first time Jeongguk has met his beast. In his dreams they meet nearly every night. A recurring nightmare. In his waking hours, they encounter each other every 28 days like clockwork – though he knows his wolf always waits inside of him, even when it’s not showing itself. Jeongguk is a slave to the moon, but only when he sleeps can he see what he is face to face like this. When he shifts, he’s too violent to possibly look in a mirror. Through his dreams, he gets to meet his wolf. As if he is not painfully aware enough when he’s conscious, nightmares remind him of what he truly is – a monster. 

Tonight it's snowing in his dream. He stands naked across from his wolf, and it stares at him as though he is something worth killing. His wolf is big and strong. It’s dark coat shimmers in soft snow. Its eyes are like an oracle, and with every harsh blink, they remind Jeongguk that one day he might die at his wolf’s very hand. 

The first time he had this dream, he was still a kid. It scared him so much he woke up screaming, his bedsheets a mess of tears, sweat, and urine. That night, the big black wolf carried itself effortlessly across the snow, following Jeongguk close behind. It observed and learned more about him, calculating Jeongguk’s every single move. It was a dance Jeongguk that hadn’t learned the choreography for. Following each step Jeongguk took, the wolf growled with a ferocity like Jeongguk had never heard before. Even though his mouth never opened, it didn’t take long for him to realize those growls were coming from inside him. 

Jeongguk thought the wolf would only observe him; he thought this was going to be a study, not a manhunt. But then it snapped. Visceral and instinctual. The wolf kicked its paws and launched forward, leaving Jeongguk to watch frame by frame as he was pinned to the ground by its massive body. Jeongguk’s vision was painted black, and the warm beautiful fur of the wolf burned his goosebump-laden skin. And then the wolf carried out its greatest task, with claws sinking onto Jeongguk’s throat without mercy – its soft smooth skin reduced to shreds as he choked on his own blood. 

He tried to beg for mercy, scream for help, but everything was black and red. There hung the pale moon that he used to look toward for solace on the nights his parents were out working. The thing that used to keep him midnight company could now only watch as he took his last breath in a scream of pain. He woke up his parents, who walked into his room, his father with his wand in hand, ready to fight off a banshee. This time however, it wasn’t a banshee announcing the death of their only son, it was Jeongguk announcing the death of his subconsciousness. The wolf that had already been the plague that tormented him every full moon had managed to trespass the limits of Jeongguk’s consciousness. Now almost every night, as a reminder of what he was and what he now is, he dies in his dreams. 

Sometimes, when he’s awake, he daydreams about killing the beast. It would make him the happiest he’s ever been to put an end to this curse. He was turned when he was ten, and ever since then had been rendered a parasite inside his own body. He takes care of himself diligently because of the respect he has for his parents, but in the back of his mind, he wonders what would happen if he stopped. Would the wolf still have strength to continue it’s arduous job of making Jeongguk’s life a living hell? 

Tonight, as he sleeps at Hogwarts nearly eight years to the date of that first dream, he’s hardly lucid. But he knows how this dream will go. He’s had it too many times not to. He and his wolf will stand face to face in the woods, and eventually Jeongguk will flinch, the way he always does. He’ll show fear, and his wolf will mock him. Every time he has this dream, as soon as he shows his true feelings, his wolf goes for the kill. And when he wakes, he’s so painfully alive – sweating, panting, sometimes close to screaming or crying. 

But tonight the dream warps. It breaks away from that familiar pattern, and suddenly Jeongguk is no longer alone with himself, but accompanied by an apparition. At first, there’s a glowing jade light, and in his dream-state, Jeongguk thinks it might be a fairy.

In a rare moment of peace, his wolf grows docile. It’s permission, and Jeongguk lets himself turn his head. It’s a risk, but the view of what’s next to him is far worth it. The light next to him is not a light at all, but rather, it’s Jimin. Beautiful Jimin, with his warm skin reflecting onto the snow. Even with his profile turned to the side, Jeongguk knows that Jimin’s existence would put the Greek Gods they see in their Muggle Studies class to shame. Jeongguk might be paralyzed with fear, his brain might be muddled in his barely lucid state, but he knows that Jimin is not just a thing of dreams. This beautiful naked version of him is not just a product of Jeongguk’s mind. If the two of them really stood naked in the Forbidden Forest’s shadowy trees and crystal snow, Jimin would look just like this. Jimin is every dream waking. Jeongguk just feels lucky that he’s come to visit this one. 

It’s the dip of his collarbones and his sculpted torso that make Jeongguk’s mouth salivate, the pretty necklace that dangles from his neck, the beautiful jade stone reflecting the light of the full moon, calling for Jeongguk’s attention. Jimin is flawless, but it’s the sight that awaits below his waist that makes Jeongguk forget about the wolf standing right in front of him, obstructing his path to Jimin. The belt of Adonis that contrasts the smooth planes his abs give Jeongguk’s eyes a clear path of where they should wander, but his refined beauty serves as a stark reminder that that just like Jeongguk, Jimin stands naked in the middle of the forest – a precious jewel in the middle of dirt. 

Jimin doesn’t belong here.

He’s too delicate, too clean, pure. He is the untarnished jade behind the glass case. He’s not meant to play with wolves. Jeongguk wants to reach out, take him to another place. He wants to throw a jacket over his shoulders and warn him to not come back here, protect him from this world that he shouldn’t have met. But it’s as Jimin’s slitted, vicious black eyes finally meet Jeongguk’s that he feels the air being stolen from his lungs. Jimin’s dark eyes are fierce and feline – an emblem of the lynx inside of him, the Animagus that is now a piece of his identity – but his movements are agile and dangerous, a reminder that there is a part of him that will always be curled tight – a cunning, cold-blooded snake. Seeing him like this, Jeongguk has never wanted him more. For a moment, Jimin is no longer the pure gem but an animal worth having. He is a beast to rival Jeongguk’s own. 

Jeongguk hears a disembodied voice in the back of his mind, but he can’t make out what it says. It’s too rough and primal, growls blending in with words. The big black wolf blocks his vision from Jimin, and instinctually, Jeongguk wants to move him away from it. But he also knows this is a challenge. The wolf wants his attention. And when it finally gets it, the only thing that Jeongguk manages to see is its vicious, fanged smile and the saliva that dribbles down the corner of its mouth. A puddle forms on the icy ground, and Jeongguk can feel the beast’s hunger. It needs to bite and scratch. To kill.

Jeongguk wonders why everything is so quiet and serene. It never happens like this. His previous nightmares were always filled with screams of pain and howls of anger. Jeongguk is waiting for his time to come, but it’s taking too long. Something is so distinctly off, but it’s too late by the time Jeongguk realizes what it is. The beast launches forward, but not towards him. It happens so fast that Jeongguk only realizes that he’s been stuck in place this whole time when he feels blood running down his face – blood that doesn’t belong to him, mixing in with his salty tears. 

Jeongguk hardly spares a glance at the body in the snow next to him before his eyes are snapping open to the darkness of the Gryffindor tower, his room hardly illuminated by the waxing moon outside his window. A weak scream dies in his throat before he can open his mouth, but as he holds back the whine he wants to let out, he registers the cold sweat that’s broken out over his body, the rapid pace of his heart in his chest. 

Jeongguk gasps as he wakes. “Jimin,” he breathes. He shifts uncomfortably before sitting up, and as he looks around the room, fear-induced adrenaline continues to pump through his veins. 

Hoseok and Taehyung each have limbs hanging off their respective beds, sleeping soundly and unsuspecting of Jeongguk’s nightmare. But Jimin is out of sight, with the curtains of his four poster bed shut tightly. He’s never slept well in any kind of light. He’s always done better under a shroud of darkness, but tonight more than ever Jeongguk wishes he could just _see_ him, to know that he’s still peacefully sleeping behind those scarlet curtains. 

He takes a few more heavy inhales to calm his unsteady breath before heaving himself from his own bed, leaving behind the sweaty bed sheets that he’d writhed in during his dream. As he crosses the room, he hesitates. It’s not the first time he’s snuck into Jimin’s bed, not by far, but if he sought out someone to hold _every_ night he had a nightmare, he’d be in Jimin’s bed almost every day of the week. Since their fourth or fifth year, Jeongguk has made a habit of slipping beneath Jimin’s duvet, but only on nights where his dreams just feel like too much to bear. On nights he resists the temptation, he’ll nervously practice casting spells under his blanket, and Jimin will usually come grab him himself, muttering sleepily about how bright it is when Jeongguk starts to say charms in the dark. After a dream like this though, his body carries him toward Jimin like a full moon pulls the tide.

Tonight somehow feels so unlike all those other nights.

Crouching down, he places his knees against the cold stone floor. It hurts, but it serves to clear his head. He carefully parts the curtains to avoid making too much noise. On the other side of them, Jimin's sleeping figure is so serene beside him that Jeongguk wonders if disrupting his peaceful dreams is ideal after all. But the nightmare from before still plays over and over again inside his head. Jimin, who has his face buried in his pillow, makes Jeongguk bubble up with worry. He just needs to see him breathe, see his chest go up and down as his lungs get filled with oxygen, but the position Jimin sleeps in beneath the blankets prevents Jeongguk from seeing it. Jeongguk’s anxious state of mind makes him hesitate. What if this is a warning? What if that nightmare had been an omen? Jeongguk swallows down on nothing, his heartbeat increasing, feeling his pulse quicken. 

He takes a step back. Maybe this is a mistake. The nightmare has never happened like this before – it’s always him and his wolf. Jimin being part of that makes Jeongguk’s stomach knot in worry. A bittersweet taste coats his tongue, the metallic taste of blood of his nightmare still present. He knows something must have changed, and changes are not something that Jeongguk so kindly welcomes. Changes are his first fear. In this moment, as he stands a few steps away from Jimin’s bed, all that he can think about is if he is the one to bring Jimin’s death. Is this all some kind of premonition? What if that was the reason why Jimin had been placed inside that horrific dream? What if his wolf decides to go for Jimin at the Shrieking Shack the same way it did in his dream?

Just as Jeongguk’s doubt is about to overtake him, Jimin’s hand blindly emerges from under the covers. He reaches for Jeongguk’s wrist before Jeongguk can retreat back to his own bed. Jimin’s small fingers tighten their grip, and blearily, he rolls over. Beneath his mess of silver hair and nest of blankets, he cracks his eyes open. 

“Jeongguk-ah,” Jimin mumbles, voice low and rough from his disrupted sleep, “what are you doing standing over there like a ghost? Come join me, it’s cold, and I need you to keep me warm.” 

Jeongguk floods with a rush of emotions at Jimin’s words. First, the initial relief that Jimin is okay and breathing, unbloodied and warm from his bed, but shortly after, Jeongguk is overwhelmed with affection knowing that he is the one Jimin wants to keep him warm on cold nights. 

Jeongguk must continue to hesitate, because Jimin tugs on his wrist again. He climbs into bed soon after, and as soon as Jimin’s arm wraps around his waist, everything feels familiar. The fear he’d have of harming Jimin is replaced by something much softer – the urge to keep him close, to protect him. It’s been a while since the two of them have laid together like this, but their bodies have always fit against one another so easily. Jimin tucks his face against Jeongguk’s collarbones and slots their legs together. His arm pulls Jeongguk’s body against his own. His breath comes as soft exhales against Jeongguk’s skin. It’s like his touch alone can wash away everything Jeongguk has ever feared. Or maybe it’s more like Jimin makes living in fear worth it. In any case, Jeongguk’s rapid heart slows, and his body takes any shape it can to bring Jimin closer.

With his voice muffled by Jeongguk’s pajamas, Jimin mumbles, “Why are you so tense? Is it too hot here for you?” 

Jeongguk, who struggles to understand what Jimin is saying, is quick to answer. “No, it’s fine.” 

Jimin noses at Jeongguk’s neck, a gesture so intimate it sends shivers down Jeongguk’s spine. “Relax, baby, you’re always safe when you’re with me.”

With Jimin’s cold toes digging into Jeongguk’s calves and his warm breath at the column of his throat, all Jeongguk can do to fall asleep is believe him – because he so desperately wants Jimin’s words to be true.

Jeongguk wakes just before first light to the sound of Taehyung rummaging around in his trunk. He’d never shut Jimin’s curtains again. No matter Jimin’s warm hold, Jeongguk slept fitfully, so it doesn’t take much to rouse him. He squints in the darkness as he watches Taehyung don his scarlet Quidditch robes. It’s now the height of Quidditch season, so it’s not unusual to see Taehyung up so early, even though a regular morning for the four of them usually entails Jimin’s bewitched pillow blaring out an alarm to get them up in time for breakfast at the Great Hall.

A twist of envy pulls at Jeongguk as he watches his friend get ready. Quidditch had never been an option for him, no matter how much he loved the game. His wolf was predictable, of course, but the full moon was bound to fall on a game or an essential practice at least once or twice throughout his seven years at Hogwarts. Even if the lunar cycle _was_ on his side and timed out perfectly, Jeongguk is still a shell of himself during the days after his shift, exhausted, miserable, and usually recovering from some kind of injury. He’d be in no shape to play such an intense game, let alone ask his team to shoulder the burden of his weakness. 

Next to him, Jimin shifts closer. A quiet smack of his lips echoes in Jeongguk’s ears, but Jimin doesn’t stir. He only presses further into Jeongguk’s space, his small hands twisting into the soft material of Jeongguk’s pajama shirt. He glances down warmly at Jimin’s sleeping form before looking at Taehyung again, but Jeongguk must not be as subtle as he thinks, because Taehyung’s dark eyes snap over to him in the dark. 

He doesn’t look too surprised to see Jeongguk awake – even though Taehyung is hardly up himself – and the fact that Jeongguk is in Jimin’s bed doesn’t seem to cross his mind. Taehyung is a mess of black hair, and his glasses are a little off-center on his nose. He raises a silent eyebrow at Jeongguk, their usual question. 

“Can I come?” Jeongguk whispers. His voice comes out rougher than he thought it would be – clearly the lack of sleep isn’t doing him any favors. 

Taehyung rolls his eyes at Jeongguk’s question. “Why are you asking something you already know the answer to?”

Careful to not wake up Jimin from his slumber, Jeongguk's heart aches a bit as he starts to move across the bed. Jimin’s hand, still holding onto Jeongguk’s shirt, tightens its grip, a clear sign that Jimin doesn’t want Jeongguk to leave. Jeongguk doesn’t want to leave him either, but watching Taehyung practice is one of his favorite morning activities during Quidditch season. 

“Hurry up,” Taehyung says from the other side of the room, not a care in the world about his friends who are still asleep. 

Taehyung should feel lucky that Jeongguk’s wand is still on his nightstand across the room, keeping Jeongguk from cursing his boots. Jeongguk frowns when he moves a little too harshly, watching Jimin shudder at the lack of warmth by his side on the bed. 

“Gguk-ah,” Jimin says, although it sounds more like a grunt than a word. “Where are you going? Come back to bed.” 

Taehyung, who stands by the door of their room with his arms crossed over his chest and his broomstick over his shoulder, lifts one eyebrow as he taps his foot on the floor, not amused at all by the scene being displayed in front of him. Unbothered, Jeongguk closes the curtains of Jimin’s bed before leaning down to press a featherlight kiss to Jimin’s temple. 

“I’ll watch Taehyung practice. Meet you at the Great Hall for breakfast later?” 

Not answering Jeongguk, Jimin lets out a little whine before turning around and pulling the blanket over his head. 

“Jeon Jeongguk, I can’t be late,” Taehyung complains. Most of the sleep has left his voice, replaced with annoyance

Jeongguk wants to stay longer with Jimin, but because he knows this will be the last practice before Christmas and he doesn’t want to miss it, he goes against what his heart wishes. Being sure to close Jimin’s curtains behind him, he goes back to his own bed and changes into his robes. 

By the time he steps out, Taehyung is waiting for him with an unhappy expression plastered on his face.

“What?” Jeongguk asks him. 

“You took too long,” Taehyung answers nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t woken up much earlier than his practice starts. Jeongguk wants to call him out on it, but he’s worried that they’ll take too long fighting each other. The odds of the two of them bickering are always high, but knowing that any kind of spat really _will_ make them late, he shuts his mouth and only follows Taehyung’s rushed footsteps. 

Their way down the lawns is a dreadful one to say the least. The weather is not the best, as winter is approaching, and with the sun still not out, Jeongguk is forced to bow down his head and pull at his robes to shield himself from the wind that cuts his skin. 

Jeongguk feels the corners of his mouth tilt upwards, looking at the contrast of Taehyung’s scarlet robes against the dull, dead grass that soon enough will become white when snow starts to fall consistently. The early December snowfall has already melted, leaving the pitch brown and dreary looking. It’s always like this when Jeongguk and Taehyung are together in the early mornings before Quidditch practice. On their way down they’re quiet, the remnants of sleep making their tongues heavy inside their mouths. Jeongguk enjoys their time in silence, just basking in the presence of the other. With how close they are and with a bond as deep as theirs, they don’t need much to be happy with the other.

Jeongguk remembers when he was a First Year, he’d watched from afar as Taehyung and Jimin stuck to each other, wondering if he would one day find a friendship like that. It didn’t take them much time to become close. Hoseok was the first one that approached him and later introduced Jeongguk to Taehyung. To say that Jeongguk was intimidated by the boy with untidy hair and a confidence that could shatter even their sunbaes’ would be an understatement, but soon enough he discovered that all that poise was nothing but a defense mechanism. 

More than six years later, Jeongguk watches Taehyung stride across the field from the bench. Taehyung always refuses to go to the locker room to fly a little before practice. Jeongguk shakes his head as he watches his friend sit on top of his broom and wink at him. 

When Taehyung got the position of Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, Jeongguk had been more stoked about it than him. Jeongguk’s excitement surprised his friends, since they didn’t know about his passion for Quidditch. Quite frankly, even Jeongguk hardly knew about it, but when he watched his first match of Quidditch with players flying above his head and Bludgers nearly knocking him off his seat, all that he could think about was how it would feel to play like them. It was a dream that vanished as soon as it appeared. 

As a werewolf, he would never be able to participate in such activities, but that didn’t stop Taehyung from breaking into the stadium grounds and teaching Jeongguk how to play. It was a thrilling experience, sneaking out together for the first time, sitting on top of a broom and watching the lights of the castle from the night sky. Even after Taehyung learned about Jeongguk’s condition, he still suggested that Jeongguk join the team every single year, despite the fact that he knew it was unrealistic and that Jeongguk’s answer would be no. Taehyung’s insistence was never annoying, either. To Jeongguk, it felt good to know that after all this time, Taehyung still wanted this to be something they could share. 

Last year, Taehyung still hadn’t given up hopes. This time, he was suggesting Jeongguk become a Beater. When Jeongguk said no _again,_ he remained insistant. 

“You could be… I don’t know, our coach?” he said from Jeongguk’s side, their feet dangling over the Black Lake. 

“Taehyung, you have Madame Choi as your coach, and I don’t think it’s that easy to become one,” Jeongguk replied. He knew that Taehyung had no ill intentions by always asking questions like these. Taehyung desperately wanted Jeongguk to join the Quidditch team, and part of Jeongguk would always want it just as badly – but he had to keep the fantasy in check before it got away from both of them. Still, it never hurt to dream.

And that was how their tradition began. Every day that Taehyung had Quidditch practice, they would walk down to the lawn and make their way to the fields. Jeongguk would sit by the benches, munching on something and analysing Taehyung’s every move. Hoseok and Jimin never followed Taehyung and Jeongguk; they knew this was a tradition meant for only the two of them. And even if that meant nothing to the other players of the Gryffindor team, it made Jeongguk and Taehyung feel like they were really teammates.

Despite the end of December bringing cold weather that should have Jeongguk itching to head back inside, practice goes quickly for him this morning. Even though he himself doesn’t lift a finger, he always finds himself completely engrossed with Gryffindor’s formations and strategies. They’re a powerhouse this year, and just like Gryffindors are known to be, all of their team members enter every play with a brave face and a determined mentality. While Jeongguk finds his gaze gravitating to Taehyung most often, he knows all of the players well. Seojoon, the dazzling 7th year Captain who can beat a bludger with his eyes closed, Jieun, the 4th year Seeker and Gryffindor’s hidden weapon, Soobin, their quick and hearty Keeper. 

They run through drills and sequences, and from what Jeongguk can tell, they seem to be talking plenty of strategy, because they spend a lot of time huddled in the middle of the pitch, hovering a few feet above the ground. By the time practice is over, the sun is just pushing high enough to be seen over some of the lower parts of the castle, and Taehyung is quick to run over to him. He leaves Seojoon with a warm clap on the back, and then he’s all up in Jeongguk’s face, his hair even messier than usual and his cheeks stained pink from the wind. 

“You should be on your broom by now, Jeongguk-ah,” Taehyung goads. His own is slung over his shoulder, but he’s back on it before Jeongguk can even reach for his, where it sits on the bench. If there’s one thing to know about Taehyung on a broom, it’s that he’s _fast._ He flies over to center pitch again, seeking the box of Quidditch balls waiting for them. Seojoon is always kind enough to leave it out for them after practice, knowing that Taehyung will never fail to bring it back to the locker room, and not minding that Taehyung bends the rules a little bit for his friend. 

“Yah!” Jeongguk calls after Taehyung’s fleeing form. “You’re not my _actual_ coach!” 

“I’m close enough!” Taehyung insists. He hovers over the box, waiting to open it because of the magic that awaits inside. “What position do you want to practice today?” 

Jeongguk catches up to him, braced forward on his broom and already feeling adrenaline start to pump in his veins. The thrill of flying has never once gotten old for him, and whenever Taehyung looks at him with that excited glint in his eye, he knows that in some alternate universe where Jeongguk never had lycanthropy, the two of them would have made the best teammates Hogwarts has ever seen. 

He looks around at the massive field before him, but his eyes are drawn up to the goal posts towering above his head. Jeongguk has always enjoyed being a Chaser alongside Taehyung. He loves the speed, the rush, the thrill of scoring goals – but now more than ever, he’s been fixated on the idea of having something to protect. 

He tightens his grip on his broom handle and knits his brow together in concentration. “Keeper,” he declares. “Think you can score on me, Taehyungie?” 

Taehyung merely scoffs in response, confidence overtaking him in the form of a devilish smile. As he goes to fetch the Quaffle, Jeongguk takes his position in front of the posts. He knows it’s going to be a fun morning. 

Taehyung is far too skillful of a player for Jeongguk’s own good, and he definitely doesn’t go easy on him, but Jeongguk has a great time anyway. He always does. Taehyung knows exactly how to play into his competitive side, and Jeongguk is grateful to let it out on the pitch. Taehyung, naturally, does end up scoring on him quite a bit, and he does some coaching, too, but he always offers praise when Jeongguk stops the Quaffle from barreling into one of the goals. They switch brooms, too – another one of their traditions. Jeongguk has always ridden a shitty old thing, knowing that a proper, fast broom probably isn’t the best investment for someone who hardly plays. When Jeongguk swings his leg over Taehyung’s glossy, shiny broom handle, he knows that’s his cue to stop playing seriously. 

Instead, they end their morning session the way they always do: fucking around. What had once been a fairly serious practice between the two of them devolves into pure chaos. They end up playing an elaborate game of tag. Though Jeongguk may seem like he has the upper hand on Taehyung’s fast broom, Taehyung loves to play dirty, so Jeongguk winds up with an engorgement charm on his left boot that nearly has him falling off center. It’s the start of an intense battle of who can knock the other to the ground with a more impressive spell. 

Jeongguk has no way of telling the time other than the sun, but by the time he decides to call it quits, he gets the feeling that Hoseok is going to be scolding them for being late to breakfast when they finally show up. Taehyung must be feeling the same way, because he surrenders as soon as Jeongguk calls a truce, and the two of them clean up wordlessly. When they finally make their way back up to the castle, Jeongguk grins and lets out a loud sigh. 

“I hate when you have an easy practice,” he whines. “You always fuck with me after.” 

Taehyung reaches over to thump Jeongguk good-heartedly on the chest. “S’my job, Gguk. Besides, Christmas is coming so we don’t have any games soon. Seojoon didn’t wanna kick everyone’s asses before the holiday for no reason.” He pauses briefly, shooting Jeongguk a look. A mischievous smile appears on his face. “Speaking of Christmas, did you really think Hobi wouldn’t tell us that you thought we were gonna go home without you, Jeongguk-ah? I thought – if we take into consideration your score on the last Defense Against the Dark Arts exam – you were smarter than this!” 

He’s teasing, but Jeongguk still kicks the toe of his boot shyly against the dirt as they walk. His stomach twists all over again as he imagines it, Hoseok going back to his family, and Jimin going home with Taehyung. For two summers now, Jimin has lived at Taehyung’s house. After things got complicated with his family, Taehyung’s own welcomed Jimin as one of the Kims as if he’d always been a part of them. Just the absent thought of being alone for their holiday break is enough to make Jeongguk feel sick, but he’d never want to feel like any more of an obligation to his friends than he already is. 

“Shut up,” Jeongguk replies. “I just mentioned it.” 

Taehyung turns his head to the side, his attention now fully focused on Jeongguk, who tries to avoid his gaze. “Hobi told me you ran away from him when we were in the tunnel.” 

Jeongguk licks his lips, swallowing down on nothing. “I did.”

“Why?”

This time, Jeongguk freezes on the spot. He doesn't want to talk about this with Taehyung, not after they had such an amazing time together on the field. “I just thought our conversation had come to an end, and I didn’t want to be left behind.”

“Jeongguk-ah… How would you be left behind if Hobi was there with you?” Taehyung sighs, placing his arm around Jeongguk’s shoulder and pulling Jeongguk closer to him. “Don’t lie to me.”

Jeongguk frowns. “I’m not lying.” 

“You know Jimin can tell when you’re lying, right? Well, he’s not the only one.” Taehyung steps forward, taking his arm from Jeongguk’s shoulder and stopping in front of him, blocking his path to the Great Hall. “Don’t you trust your friends, Ggukie? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I want to be able to understand what happens here–” he gives Jeongguk’s head a light tap, followed by a tap over his heart, “–and here.”

Jeongguk feels his cheeks heat up, shame making him blush. “Tae, you know it’s complicated.” 

In a lighter tone, Taehyung answers. “We just want to make it easier for you.” 

“I’m scared,” Jeongguk finally admits, looking down at his worn out boots and dragging his feet back and forth over the stones. 

Taehyung’s eyes widen, and soon after, gain a new gleam to them. Sadness pours from his soul and reflects through his irises. “Jeongguk-ah–”

“I don’t want to be more of a burden than I already am for you, but it happens that sometimes...” Jeongguk takes a deep breath, looking around them, trying to spot students, before he continues, “Sometimes I’m selfish. I don’t want to go through a full moon by myself, but I don’t want to deprive you guys from living your lives.”

“Jeonggukie.” Taehyung's light and soothing tone is what gives away the action that comes next. Taking a step forward Taehyung places his arms around Jeongguk’s neck and presses Jeongguk’s head to his shoulder in a hug. “What we do for you is not a burden, it will never be. We go through this because we’re your friends, and we love you more than anything. I know that if it happened to be one of us going through _that,_ you would do the same. I see my parents all the time. I don’t mind missing a few holidays. After all, I need to keep an eye out and make sure you’re all behaving well.” 

Jeongguk snorts. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen you get detentions, Taehyung. If anything I’m the one who has to keep an eye out on you and Jimin.”

Taehyung squints his eyes, placing his index finger on Jeongguk’s chest. “See how easy it is for you to digress from the main topic when the main topic is about you, Gguk? I threw the bait and you caught it.”

“Taehyung-ah,” Jeongguk tries. 

“I want you to pay attention to me now, Jeon Jeongguk. We’re staying in the castle because we want to. We do what we do every 28 days because we want to. You’re not forcing us to do something we don’t want to, okay? I know how stubborn you can be, but this time I’m being serious.” 

Jeongguk takes a deep breath, tilting his head to the side. His heart is fluttering inside his chest. He manages to muster the best smile that he can, and because he doesn’t want to disappoint his friend by saying the things that are swarming his mind, he lies through his teeth. “I know.” 

Jeongguk is not sure if Taehyung notices the lie or not, but soon enough, Taehyung is skipping along the rocks, whistling a tune Jeongguk doesn’t know, and he doesn’t return to the topic from before. Jeongguk assumes that for now, he can forgive himself for lying to his friends one more time. 

Taehyung turns to him with an unreadable smile. 

“Dumbass.” He lightly kicks Jeongguk’s boot. “C’mon, I bet Hobi and Jimin are waiting for us.” 

“Just admit you want to see your boyfriend!” 

“That too!” 

Today, the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall is a gradient of purples with orange clouds. Not expecting this visual so early in the morning, Jeongguk’s jaw drops. He’s so mesmerized by the sight that Taehyung is the one who has to drag him by his cloak to the Gryffindor table. 

There aren’t too many students at this time which means one of two things. A) the entire school has already eaten and the food has already been cleared, or B) Jeongguk and Taehyung have encountered incredible luck that almost half of the students have gotten a stomach bug, meaning that there would still be warm amazing pastries awaiting for them at their table.

As soon as they approach their friends though Hoseok’s voice feels like a bucket of cold water. “You guys are so late, I can’t believe you two.” 

Jeongguk groans, his belly making gurgling noises. Childishly, he mumbles, “It was Taehyung’s fault!”

Taehyung shoots Jeongguk an incredulous look to which Jeongguk only shows him his tongue. “What did I do?” 

Finally making his presence known, Jimin lifts his head from the book about Magical Creatures that he’s reading to look at Jeongguk. His unkempt silver hair is down and covers most of his forehead. His pillowy lips are stained red from the grape juice he’s sipped with breakfast, making the task of looking away from them so much harder for Jeongguk. “Jeonggukie, they already cleared everything, but I wrapped you some of those scones you like so you can eat them on the way to class.” 

When Jimin smiles so sweetly at him Jeongguk instantly blushes, reminded of the position they slept in earlier. Feeling his knees buckle under the weight of Jimin’s loving gaze, he mentally thanks Taehyung when he jumps in the middle of their conversation.

“And what about me?” Taehyung asks Jimin, lips puckering cutely. 

Jeongguk sits in the empty spot by Jimin’s side and thanks him quietly. Too ashamed of his now bright red cheeks to directly look at Jimin, he accepts the wrapped bundle of scones from Jimin all while staring down at the table. 

“You’re on your own! Sorry!” Jimin singsongs to Taehyung. He turns back to his book with a flair, teasing Taehyung on purpose.

“‘Best friend,’ he says. ‘Soulmate,’ he says. And yet, where’s my scone, huh?” Taehyung grunts dramatically. He sounds like an old man talking under his breath, pretending to have a monologue with himself.

With his mouth stuffed full, Jeongguk tries to amend the situation. “Taehyungie, you don’t even like scones.”

“That’s not the point, Jeon Jeongguk!” 

Jimin places his hand on Jeongguk’s toned thigh and squeezes it beneath the table, telling Jeongguk to play it cool. Jeongguk throws his head back at his action, nearly choking on the scone that he’s eating as he watches Taehyung’s frown deepen. 

Unable to hold himself back anymore, with tears gathering at the corner of his eyes, Hoseok lets out a full bodied laugh. Reaching into his cloak, he takes out something wrapped in a cloth napkin and places it on the table. “It’s my special sandwich.”

With puppy eyes, Taehyung pretends to wipe away tears from his face. “Hobi-yah, I love you the most. I owe you my life. I am now devout only to you.”

Hoseok lifts one of his brows at the sudden confession. “Don’t tell that to Namjoonie.”

“Don’t tell me what?” Namjoon's voice comes from behind them, approaching from the Ravenclaw table. Leaning down to press a kiss on Taehyung’s temple, Namjoon places a few strands of hair that are stuck to his face behind Taehyung’s ear. “Morning.”

Taehyung coughs, becoming coy in Namjoon’s hold. “Nothing! Nothing. Hi. I love you.”

Namjoon looks suspicious, but his eyes are stuck to his lover’s face. “Rough practice, babe?”

With a mischievous smile, Taehyung brags. “No, I kicked Jeongguk’s butt, so everything is good. The universe maintains its balance.” 

Jeongguk rolls his eyes. “He’s exaggerating.”

Taehyung lets go of Namjoon, his eyes boring holes into Jeongguk. “I’m really not. Gguk literally fell to the ground because I cast a spell to cover his eyelids in boils so he couldn’t see anything. You should check yourself for grass stains, Jeonggukie! They’re a sign of my victory, but I don’t think Professor Son would take that as kindly as we do.” 

Jeongguk is about to snap back at Taehyung, when Jimin’s sweet laughter echoes through the Great Hall. The sound fills the empty spaces of Jeongguk’s heart, fills the gaps between him and his friends. Jimin throws his head back with joy, his eyes crinkling into half moons, and the sight of it makes everything become black and white to Jeongguk – the only thing that maintains all the colors of the world is the boy sitting beside him.

* * *

Jimin has forgotten his gloves yet again, but even through the thick material of his robes, Jeongguk can feel the warmth of Jimin’s hand where it clutches tightly onto his bicep. He tugs at Jeongguk’s sleeve cutely, like he’s asking for Jeongguk’s attention even though they both know that Jimin already has all of it. 

“Jeonggukie!” Jimin exclaims yet again. “She was so sweet to you! She was even shy to Professor Kang, but she bowed so beautifully to you. Maybe next class you’ll be able to ride her.” 

Jeongguk huffs out an intimidated breath. While he didn’t find the hippogriff particularly scary, he’s not sure that he’d want to get on one’s back right away. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Jimin-ssi. I think the Professor will want everyone to get comfortable with her before anyone gets on her back.” 

Jimin pouts, his fingers winding more tightly into Jeongguk’s robe. They’re walking pretty slowly despite the cold weather, trailing behind the rest of their Gryffindor classmates and the Slytherins with whom they share their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. The hill is steep and its grass is frozen with a frost from over night that was too slow to thaw, but neither of them seem to care. They take the long way, walking closer to the Black Lake and looking up at the view of the castle they often see on spring days when they’re able to sit outside and study on the lawn. 

“I just think it would be sweet if you rode her,” Jimin insists. His bottom lip keeps pushing out, and Jeongguk almost has to turn his head away from him, always a little overwhelmed by how Jimin looks when he’s acting cute like this. The only reason Jeongguk welcomes his blush is because the cold wind masks it. 

Jeongguk prods his side gently, and Jimin squirms away. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned with getting her to bow to _you_ before you worry about the rest of the lesson?” 

Jimin drops his hand from Jeongguk’s bicep dramatically to cross his own arms over his chest in defiance. He tilts his chin up, huffing, “So much for complimenting you. I’ll keep it to myself next time.” 

Jeongguk laughs at him, knowing he’s being silly on purpose. He stops them in their tracks, taking hold of both of Jimin’s wrists to unwind his arms from over his chest. Then he walks backwards up the hill, dragging Jimin with him as they face each other. “You’re such a baby,” Jeongguk teases, squeezing Jimin’s wrists. “Are you upset that I’m doing better in this class than you?” 

Jimin rolls his eyes. “I was calling you cute!” he exclaims. He wriggles one hand from Jeongguk’s grip so he can walk properly again, but Jeongguk keeps his grasp like that, feeling Jimin’s warm skin beneath his fingertips and the way his pulse jumps in his wrist. “Besides,” Jimin adds, “You’re the baby.” 

“That’s your comeback, Jimin-ssi?” Jeongguk laughs. “Weak. I’m not impressed. You’ve lost your touch.” 

Jimin sticks his tongue out at him. “You sound like Taehyung.” 

Jeongguk lifts a hand to his chest and bows his head in modesty. “I’m flattered. Taehyung is hilarious.” 

“Watch what you say, Jeon Jeongguk! I’ll tell him you called him funny, and he’ll never live it down. You know he’ll hold that over your head until the day you die.” 

They laugh together, and Jeongguk drops Jimin’s wrist in favor of letting the backs of their hands brush together as they trudge up the hill. He tucks his face into the soft material of his scarlet scarf, hiding his grin that he knows is probably too big. Jimin always has him smiling for too long and too hard. He’ll have Jeongguk drifting off into space with a dreamy look on his face – the kind of look that Hoseok will notice and nudge him for, will have him asking, “Gguk, what are you smiling at?” Jeongguk never replies, but part of him thinks Hoseok knows the answer anyway. 

This time he really does have to look away from Jimin, because it acts like a filter. Sometimes, he gets worried that if he stares for too long, he won’t be able to stop himself from blurting the first thing on his mind. The view is pretty as they make their way back to the castle, and they pass by one of the magnolia trees that blooms pink in the springtime. Even its barren branches bring back a fond memory, and as Jimin’s gaze follows his own, Jeongguk wonders if they’re remembering the same thing as they stare out at it. 

Last spring, Jimin had snuck them sandwiches from the sweet house elves who have taken a liking to him, and they’d slipped out of the castle at lunch time to spend the afternoon outside. Instead of using their free periods to study, the two of them had sought refuge under that magnolia tree, sharing stories like they were secrets as they laid next to each other in the grass. It wasn’t the first time they’d talked like that, not by far, but something about that afternoon had felt like they were doing more than just blooming – they were growing together. It wasn’t the first time Jimin had made Jeongguk feel something beyond sensations he had words for, either, but it was a rare moment where he thought that Jimin might be speechless, too. 

If someone asked him now exactly what they had talked about that day, Jeongguk couldn’t tell them. By this point, so many careful confessions have slipped past their lips to one another that it’s hard to keep track what story and which feeling emerged when. But that afternoon, Jimin had reached for his hand when words failed them. Just like their dry knuckles brush against one another as they walk through cold winter air, Jimin had pressed the pads of their fingers together between blades of grass. He reached and reached until something told both of them that words weren’t enough anymore, and finally he wound their fingers together and squeezed. 

When Jeongguk squeezed back, he felt everything and said nothing. He knew that even the words that wanted to push past his lips wouldn’t do them any justice, so he resigned himself to the feeling – the feeling of the wind rippling through their hair, the feeling of the grass tickling their cheeks, the feeling of a spring day after the long winter. And he’d let it be. 

Now, they carry on past the sleepy, hibernating magnolia as they trudge indoors, but it doesn’t feel like they’re leaving anything behind. Instead, the warm memory sits deep in Jeongguk’s chest, as if it alone has an air of magic to it and is acting as their defense against the cold. He wants to know if Jimin feels it too. He thinks about winding their fingers together again, but he decides against it. He knows that they’re close to parting ways for the afternoon, and just the thought of having to let go too soon keeps him from holding Jimin’s hand right now. 

Instead, Jeongguk tries his best to remember what it felt like to have Jimin’s fingers intertwined with his. He tries to preserve that warmth to not only keep his hands warm from the cold winter winds outside, but to also keep the fire that melts the ice around his heart ignited. It’s strange how Jimin has so much impact on him and on his life. He knows that anything that Jimin asked for, he would give without seconds thought. It’s funny, because although the feelings that Jimin has for him might not be the same as Jeongguk’s own, he still believes Jimin would do the same for him. 

As the last rays of sunshine are reflected on the black surface of the Great Lake, making it seem like stars have fallen from the sky, Jeongguk gets reminded of what he should have done days ago. It’s a dreadful task, but it’s one that he must do if he wants to keep his friends safe during the full moon. The thought of leaving Jimin by himself is one that he hates, but having to go to the Hospital Wing is almost worse. 

Jeongguk is aware that he has nothing to fear. Everyone who works at the infirmary knows about his condition. Plus Seokjin, one of his best friends and an honorable hyung who taught him so much during his first years in Hogwarts, also works there. Seokjin, along with Yoongi, are former Hogwarts students, two years older than him and his friends. While they were a few years ahead of Jeongguk, they never treated him as any less for what he is. Yoongi and Seokjin never came to the Shrieking Shack during their time as students, but not because they didn’t want to. They were always just as eager to help Jeongguk, but after finding out about Jimin, Taehyung, and Hoseok’s illegal practice of becoming Animagi (and being astonished that they’d managed to do such a feat at their young age) she’d clearly stated that only they were allowed to follow and help Jeongguk during the full moons – specifically because they weren’t in their human forms. 

After graduating, Seokjin and Yoongi spent a year focusing on their degrees, and now the two of them work as apprentices in Hogwarts. Seokjin is in the Hospital Wing, with only a few years until he gets his license as a nurse, and Yoongi is Potion’s Master apprentice. Jeongguk has been blessed with two friends with the skills and expertise to help him with his condition, but because everything has to be documented and sent back to the Ministry, Jeongguk is forced to make his way to the Hospital Wing every time the full moon is near. 

He moves to the other side of the hall and ignores Jimin’s bottom lip jutting out for the sake of his own sanity. “It won’t take long,” Jeongguk says. 

“Tell Seokjin-hyung that I’m waiting to see which gift he’ll get me for Christmas!” 

With dreading steps, Jeongguk keeps inching down the hallway. He musters a smile at Jimin’s silliness. “You go and ask that yourself. He’ll scream at me if I talk about gifts again.” 

“Again?” Jimin questions Jeongguk, frowning. 

“Oh…” Jeongguk blushes. “I asked him to buy some cool presents for me from Seoul to give them to Tae on his birthday.” 

Jimin’s eyes widen, feeling betrayed. “You didn’t tell me that! If I knew, I would have asked him to get me some things for Tae, too.” 

“Well, that’s the reason why he told me not to say anything. We both know you would ask him to get you some for yourself, too.” Jeongguk laughs at how Jimin’s face contorts in pure disbelief. “I have to go now. I’ll meet you at the Common Room.” 

Jeongguk spins on his heel and rushes down the stairs. If he spends any more time by Jimin’s side, he won’t be able to leave him. He feels a sense of pride that Jimin hadn’t managed to catch onto his lie. Obviously, Jeongguk wasn’t just getting Taehyung birthday presents, but Christmas presents for Jimin and their friends, too.

The dark hallway that leads him to the Hospital Wing is one that sends shivers down his spine. There's something about being around this place that makes his blood pressure drop and his body tremble. Even the air outside of it is thick with tension and sorrow. Jeongguk has always found it weird how someone as cheerful and happy as Seokjin decided to work here, but maybe the reason is that Seokjin’s energy brings light to such a dark place. 

Jeongguk knocks on the door, only to get shushed by Seokjin, who attends to it immediately. 

“There are people sleeping inside, Jeongguk-ah,” Seokjin whisper-yells, pulling at the white robe that protects his skin. 

“You told me to knock when I got here!” Jeongguk argues back, slipping past Seokjin and making his way to the potions cabinet. 

“Hey! You can’t open that!” 

“I wasn’t going to!”

“Didn’t seem like it.” 

Jeongguk rolls his eyes, pretending to be annoyed by Seokjin’s scolding tone. 

“You need to wait for someone who’s authorized by the Matron to open it.” 

“And by someone who’s authorized you mean yourself?”

Seokjin winks. “Obviously.” 

Getting straight to the point, Jeongguk tells Seokjin the reason why he came to the Hospital Wing. “I need some relaxing potions.” 

Jeongguk knows that the potions made for him here are not strong enough to completely stop the pain that he will feel once he shifts, but he doesn’t want to make his parents spend even another cent on him. The potions provided by Hogwarts are free, and that means that the resources that were used to make them aren’t necessarily the most appropriate ones for his case, since wolfsbane was only used for teaching purposes. One time, Seokjin offered to buy wolfsbane from his own pocket for Jeongguk, which Jeongguk denied instantly. He doesn’t want to be even more of a burden than he already is to his friends. They’ve done enough. And though he would never admit this to anyone, sometimes he thinks that even if he could, he wouldn’t buy wolfsbane. The pain that he feels is a punishment that he deserves. 

Seokjin turns around, a tiny cauldron on his hands as he rummages through the cabinets to find the ingredients for Jeongguk’s potion. “How have they been going?”

“What?” Jeonguk asks, confused. Seokjin has his back turned to Jeongguk, which makes it hard for Jeongguk to see his expression and understand what he means. 

“You know.” 

“Oh.” Jeongguk gnaws at his lower lip, pulling at the dead skin. “It’s going…”

“Jeongguk-ah.” Seokjin turns around, getting closer to Jeongguk and lowering the sound of his voice to prevent people from hearing their conversation. “Soon enough you’ll graduate and you’ll need to send full reports to the Ministry with every single detail about it, even if you don’t remember it. For now, the school does it for you, but you should be ready for when the time comes.” 

Jeongguk moves uncomfortably in place, the sudden change in subject making his lungs ache inside his chest. He’s known about this, yet choosing to stay ignorant is something that gives him some reassurance that he still has a lot of time before he needs to start worrying about it. Seokjin’s words feel like a punch to the face. Once the school year ends, he won’t have his friends to help him out anymore. It’s only going to be him and his wolf. Maybe the best option would be to lock himself inside a cell, to protect those around him and himself. But the thought of spending such sorrowful nights alone makes his stomach drop to his feet. At least when he has his friends with him, Jeongguk knows that the moment that he opens his eyes, all the pain that he feels will go away, because there by his side, safe inside the abandoned house in Hogsmeade, lay asleep the people he loves the most. 

“I know,” Jeongguk whispers. 

“I know we can’t talk about it here.” Seokjin moves to the side, tugging at Jeongguk’s sleeve and guiding him to a corner where there are no beds near. “The walls have ears, especially inside the infirmary. But I’m giving you a heads up that you should prepare yourself for when the time comes.” In a gesture of agony, Seokjin cards his fingers through his black hair. “How many days until it hits?”

Jeongguk understands the pragmatic intention hidden behind Seokjin’s words. His condition must be kept a secret for as long as he studies in Hogwarts for his own safety. Only Merlin knows what some families could do to Hogwarts and him if they found out that he’s a half-blood _and_ a werewolf. However, as soon as Jeongguk graduates, and he no longer has the Headmaster to back him up, he’ll have to stand on his own in front of the Ministry and answer to all of their demands to keep his integrity in the Wizarding World. 

“A little more than a week,” he answers, looking at the window and the reflection of the growing silver moon. 

Seokjin places the glass bottles in Jeongguk’s hands. Jeongguk counts a few more than the usual, and he wonders if Seokjin can tell that there’s something off with him. “Promise me you’ll be careful.” 

“I always am.” 

“I just need to make sure.” Seokjin gives Jeongguk’s shoulder a light tap and lets his hand hang on the small of Jeongguk’s back. “If anything, _anything_ , happens, come to me and I’ll help you. And if I don’t know how to help, I promise you, I’ll find a way to.”

Jeongguk nods at Seokjin, touched by his words. 

As he makes his way down the empty hallways, he feels the moon following him through the windows, almost as if keeping an eye on him. Swallowing down the bile that threatens to slip past his lips, he doesn’t need to look up to feel the full moon is nearing. 

**Author's Note:**

> if you managed to get here, please let us know what your thoughts are! comments and kudos are always appreciated and keep us going.
> 
> and if you want to hear more about our ideas and our works, you can find us here: [mimi](https://twitter.com/jkoomi) | [bibi](https://twitter.com/kookmint). ♡


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